Laundry agent dispensing device



March 8, 1960 w. L. PELLERIN LAUNDRY AGENT DISPENSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEY! March 8, 1960 N. PELLERIN 2,927,600

LAUNDRY AGENT DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR {Va/W122; ZJeZZerlrz ATTORNEYS 2,927,600 LAUNDRY AGENT DISPENSING DEVICE Norvin L. Pellerin, New (lrleans, La.

Application June 1, 1955, Serial No. 512,493

13 Claims. (Cl. 137-266) This invention relates to an attachment for a washing machine whereby the various auxiliary washing agents such as soap, bleach, blue, etc., may be added to the machine during the washing operation. p

This invention is particularly intended for use with washing machines operating upon an electrically timed cycle. It is suited for electrical connection to the timing device so that the washing ingredients may be added to the washing liquid at predetermined points in the timing cycle.

Although suited for connecting in the time cycle of the washing machine, the device of this invention is substantially self-contained and requires to be connected to the washing machine only at three points. Besides the electrical connection to the timer, the device must be provided with a source of water and a connection to the machine at which the additional ingredients and water may be added to the machine.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of the device attached to the side of a washing machine, portions thereof being broken away and other portions being omitted for the sake of clarity;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure l, the housing of the apparatus being omitted;

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure l with the housing thereof being in place;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the invention; and

Figure 5 is a section of a container for holding ingredients to be added to the washing machine.

Before referring to the apparatus, it will be appropriate to point out the manner in which the invention is to be used. In commercial laundries, it is desirable to have a series of washing machines in operation rather than a single larger machine. By staggering the order in which the machines are started and stopped, there will be a continuous flow of washed clothing so that the employees may be able to work steadily on the clothing instead of intermittently. Also, because various types.

of clothing require different laundry treatment, it is possible to wash each individual type according to its special needs.

In the past, some laundries have allowed the operators to measure out the requisite amount of washing ingredients such as soap, bleach and bluing, either according to the operators judgment or according to directions on aprinted card. Since the operator must travel some distance from the point where the supplies are stored to the washing machine, these practices have been both wasteful of ingredients and of possible injurious action to the clothing. The operators attention is divided so that frequent mistakes in measurement of the ingredient and the time at which the ingredients are added are bound to arise.

As an alternative, many laundries have the ingredients measured out in a separate room, intoa series of pitchers or cups which are then carried into the washing room on Patented Mar. s, tsee a tray and placed beside the washing machine. At an appropriate time the pitchers are emptied into the washing machine. at any convenient point near the machine with the result that they may be accidentally tipped over with possible damage to the goods in progress and general disruption of the operations being carried out.

The present invention is intended to make use of the tray system wherein the ingredients are measured out in advance of use. Dry ingredients may be measured out in pitchers of suitable size and liquid ingredients will be placed in a pitcher of special design. As shown in Figure 6, the pitcher 10 has a lip '12 and a handle 14. Built into the handle and the cup proper is a syphon having an upper leg 16 and a lower leg 18. As long as the cup is not filled above the line 20, .the liquidwill be retained within the cup but, when the liquid rises above the line 20, the syphon tube will be filled and the contents of the cup will be delivered from the lower end of the handle 14. The manner in which these cups are used will be evident as the description proceeds.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the invention includes a housing 22 that may conveniently be mounted upon the cylindrical side wall 24 of a washing machine. The housing may include a funnel-shaped lower portion 26 surrounding an opening 28 in the side wall 24 of the washing machine. The funnel may be secured along its edges to the side wall 24 by means of suitable fastenings 30. If it is not convenient to incorporate the housing into the'side of the machine, the

lower portion may be formed as a container of any,

suitable shape provided with a conduit for communicating with the body of the washing machine.

The upper part of the housing 22 may be provided with a relatively low front wall 32 and a high rear wall 34. Suitable end walls 36 are provided and there is a cover 38. The front portion of the cover 40 is hinged at 46 so that it may be thrown back to provide access to the front of the apparatus. The front cover 40 has an outwardly turned lip 42 cooperating with an inwardly turned lip 44 on front wall 32 to cause any liquid splashing againstthe underside of cover 40 to drain into the interior of the housing rather than to run outwardly. A handle 48 may be provided for lifting the cover 4'0.

Extending approximately horizontally across the funnel-shaped compartment formed by wall 26 is a floor 50 sloping slightly downwardly from wall 34 to wall 32 at the point where wall 32 joins the wall 26. The space above floor 50 is divided into a plurality of compartments 52 extending parallel to end walls 36. The partitions 52 are secured in watertight relationship to rear wall 34 and iioor 50 by any suitable fastening means.

In each compartment, near the front thereof, is a baflie 54 rising out of the floor 50 to approximately half the height of front wall 32. This bafile 54 occupies approximately half the space between adjacent partitions 52 (or partition 52 and end wall 36), in the middle thereof, leaving free space on each side of the bailie 54. Between the bafiie 54 and the outer wall 32 is an opening 56 afiording communication between the individual com partments above floor 5t and the lower, funnel-shaped compartment. Conveniently, the baille members 54 may i through openings 56 against the back wall of the funnel- V shaped compartment. a

' Spaced above the floor 50 in some or all of theicome partrnents are a group of parallel; rods 60, forming an open grid above the floor. These serve as support for There is a tendency to set these trays pitchers 10. 'An additional rod 62 above rods 60 prevents accidental outward displacement of the pitchers 10.

Across the back of back wall 34 extends water supply pipe 64. One end is closed by cap 66 while the other end is connected in a manner not shown, to the source of water. Midway between each pair of partitions 52 is a T connection 68 and from each T a riser 70 connects with a solenoid valve 72. Extending forwardly of the valve 72 are nipples 74. If it is intended that the water be discharged into a body of liquid, the piping is completed by an elbow 76 and a short nipple 78. If, on the other hand, the water is to be discharged upon a body of dry material, there is added to the shortnipple 78, a 45 elbow 80, which tends to direct the water against the back face of the compartments to more effectively sweep out the contents thereof. It is obvious that, in place of the pipe fittings enumerated, a single, appropriately bent' piece of pipe may be employed.

An additional housing 82 extending rearwardly and upwardly of rear wall 34 may be employed to bring the water supply valves within the housing of the apparatus (see Figure 3). Electrical conduit 84 connects the solenoids 72 with a source of controlled electricity. Conveniently, one side of the wiring to each of the valves may be connected in parallel with the source of electricity. The opposite side of the wiring for each valve is individually connected to a contact strip contained in a control device wherein contact is made in appropriate timed relation with the opposite line of the electrical current. Inasmuch as such timing devices are well known in the art and because the particular means for timing is not part of my invention, the details of this device are not included as a part of the disclosure.

Operation It is contemplated that the device can best be used by having the desired washing ingredients measured out in suitable containers by a laundry employee especiallydesignated for that purpose. Dry ingredients may be measured out into any suitable containers while liquid ingredients will be measured out into containers or similar devices. The entire ingredient budget for one machine may be placed upon a separate tray and the trays carried to the side of the various washing machines.

Upon arriving at the side of the machine, the employee will dump the dry ingredients into the appropriate compartments intended therefor. Cups containing liquid ingredients will be placed in their compartments resting upon rods 60. Corresponding, empty cups can be removed from the machine at the same time, thus providing a tray of empty containers ready for refilling.

In this way, the proper amount of each ingredient will be measured out in advance for each washing inachine, in accordance with a predetermined formula budget. The machine operator will not: be called upon to leave his machine unattended while obtaining laundry supplies for his machine nor will he be in haste to return to the machine so that the ingredients can be measured out deliberately and exactly. Also, whether the ingredients are washed from their respective compartments by means of streams of water timed by a cycle timer or whether there are a series of push button switches employed to actuate the valves 72, the emptying of the infective than thekmethods commonly used heretofore.

It will be obvious that the invention is susceptible to many modifications within the spirit of the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, it is my desire to be limited only in the manner set forth expressly in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a housing, a series of parallel chambers 'therewithin, each sep arated from the next by a watertight will, a common floor for all the chambers, sloping outwardly from the rear thereof, anopen side common to all the chambers,

. gredients into the washing machine is much more efon the front thereof, a battle for the floor of each of the chambers and fixed thereto near the outer, lower portion of the floor, said baflie serving to retard emptying of the chamber to which it pertains without however, entirely closing egress therefrom, a compartment extending below said chambers and communicating with them through ports at the low point of the floor of them, a splash plate in the compartment below the communication ports in the floor to retard the splashing of liquids passing through said ports, a conduit leading from the compartment for delivery of iiuids therefrom to a laundry apparatus, an open grid supported above the floor of-at least one of the chambers positioned to maintain the bottom of a cup placed thereupon substantially above the floor of the chamber to which it relates, a plurality of fluid delivery pipes, one for each chamber, each adapted to deliver liquid to the upper part of its respective chamber only, a valve for each pipe, means for controlling the operation of these valves remotely, and a common cover for the front of all the chambers, hinged at its rear to the housing.

2. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a housing, a series of parallel chambers therewithin, each separated from the next by a watertight wall, a common floor for all the chambers, sloping outwardly from the rear thereof, an open side common to all the chambers, on the front thereof, a bafile for the floor of each of the chambers and fixed thereto near the outer, lower portion of the floor, said baffie serving to retard emptying of the chamber to which it pertains without however, entirely closing egress therefrom, a compartment extending be low said chambers and communicating with them through ports at the low point of the floor of them, a splash plate in the compartment below the communication ports in the floor to retard the splashing of liquids passing through said ports, a conduit leading from the compartment for delivery of fluids therefrom to a laundry apparatus, an open grid supported above the floor of at least one of the chambers positioned to maintain the bottom of a cup placed thereupon substantially above the floor of the chamber to which it relates, a plurality of fluid delivery pipes, one for each chamber, each adapted to deliver liquid to the upper part of its respective chamber only, a valve for each pipe, means for controlling the operation of these valves remotely, and a common cover for the front of all the chambers, hinged at its rear to the housing.

3. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a housing, a plurality of separate chambers therewithin, a floor for each chamber, each sloping outwardly from the rear thereof, a bafile for the floor of each of the chambers and fixed thereto near the outer, lower portion of the floor, said bafile serving to retard emptying of the chamber to which it pertains without however, entirely closing egress therefrom, a compartment extending below said chambers and communicating with them at the low point of the floor of them through ports, a splash plate in the compartment below the communication ports in the floor to retard the splashing of liquids passing through said ports, a conduit leading from the compartment for delivery of fluids therefrom to a laundry apparatus, an open grid supported above the floor of at least one of the chambers positioned to maintain the bot tom of a cup placed thereupon substantially above the floor of the chamber to which it relates, a plurality of fluid delivery pipes, one for each chamber, each adapted to deliver liquid to the upper part of its respective chamher only, a valve for each pipe, means for controlling the operation of these valves remotely, and a common cover for the front of all'the chambers, hinged at its rear to the housing.

4. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a housing, a series of parallel chambers therewithin, each separated from the next by a watertight wall, a common floor for all the chambers, slopingoutwardly from the asa'sgeoo rear thereof, an open side common to all the chambers, on the front thereof, a bafile for the floor of each of the chambers and fixed thereto near the outer, lower portion of the floor, said baflle serving to retard emptying of the chamber to which it pertains, without however, entirely closing egress therefrom, a compartment extending below said chambers and communicating with them through ports at the low point of the floor of them, a splash plate in the compartment below the communication ports in the floor to retard the splashing of liquids passing through said ports, an open grid supported above the floor of at least one of the chambers positioned to maintain the bottom of a cup placed thereupon substantially above the floor of the chamber to which it relates, a plurality of fluid delivery pipes, one for each chamber, each adapted to deliver liquid to the upper part of its respective chamber only, a valve for each pipe, means for controlling the operation of these valves remotely, and a common cover for the front of all the chambers, hinged at its rear to the housing.

5. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a housing, a plurality of separate chambers therewithin arranged in a single horizontal row, an open side for each chamber, said sides extending in common along one side of said row, a bottom wall for all of the chain bers sloping toward the open, common side and forming a floor for each of the chambers, a baflle for the floor of each of the chambers and fixed thereto near the outer, lower portion of the floor, said baffie serving to retard emptying of the chamber to which it pertains without however, entirely closing egress therefrom, a compartment extending below said chambers and communicating with all of them at the low point only of the floor of them, means above the floor of at least one of the chambers for supporting a cup with the bottom of the cup substantially above the floor of the chamber to which it relates, a plurality of fluid delivery pipes, one for each chamber, each positioned to deliver liquid to its respective chamber only, and a valve for each pipe.

6. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a plurality of separate chambers, a sloping floor for each chamber, a baflle serving to retard emptying of the chamber to which it pertains Without however, entirely closing egress therefrom, inlet means for delivering fluid to said chambers for flushing the contents thereof, a portion of the floor of each chamber extending more remotely from the fluid inlet means than the bafiie such extending portion of the floor of each chamber defining at least in part an opening, and means below the opening for conducting fluid from said opening to a laundry apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein there is a separate, valve-controlled fluid delivery means for each chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 including means above the floor of at least one of the chambers for supporting a cup.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for conducting fiuid is a compartment extending below all of said chambers.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of the floors in each of the chambers slopes in a common direction.

11. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a plurality of separate chambers therewithin, arranged in a single horizontal row, an open side for each chamber, said sides extending in common along one side of said row, a common bottom wall for all of the chambers sloping toward the open common side and forming a floor for each of the chambers, a baffle for the floor of each of the chambers fixed to said floor near the outer lower portion thereof, said baffle filling the major portion of the horizontal span of the open side of its chamber without however extending to the two intersecting chambersides, thereby to substantially retain granular material deposited on the sloping floor of the chamber without retarding drainage of liquid from said floor, a compartment extending below said chambers and communicating with all of them at the lower, open portion of the floor, a plurality of fluid delivery pipes, one for each chamber, each positioned to deliver liquid to the upper portion of its respective chamber only, and a valve for each pipe.

12. The structure of claim 11 including an open grid extending horizontally above the floor of at least one of said chambers, said grid serving to support a cup thereon without interfering with the deposit of granular material upon said bottom Wall.

13. A laundry agent delivery apparatus including a plurality of separate chambers therewithin, arranged in a single horizontal row, an open side for each chamber, said sides extending in common along one side of said row, a common bottom wall for all of the chambers sloping toward the open common side and forming a floor for each of the chambers, a baflle for the floor of each of the chambers fixed to said floor near the outer lower portion thereof, said bafl le filling the major portion of the horizontal span of the open side of its chamher without however extending to the two intersecting chamber sides, thereby to substantially retain granular material deposited on the sloping floor of the chamber without retarding drainage of liquid from said floor, a compartment extending below said chambers and communicating with all of them at the lower, open portion of the floor and means for selectively delivering liquid to the upper portion of each chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 207,644 Clark Sept. 3, 1878 1,161,736 Sayer Nov. 23, 1915 1,868,801 Muntz July 26, 1932 1,894,267 Foresman Jan. 17, 1933 2,152,956 Etzkorn Apr. 4, 1939 2,295,004 Owen Sept. 8, 1942 2,403,827 Poirier 'July 9, 1946 2,500,042 Nutting Mar. 7, 1950 2,534,014 Gayring Dec. 12, 1950 2,704,206 Crook Mar. 15, 1955- 

